An Interview with Dog Rose Brewery

What is your background, and how did you get started as a craft beer brewer?

I’ve been brewing professionally since 2001. Prior to that I was a home brewer. When I moved here in 2000 I started waiting tables at A1A Aleworks and realized they had a brewery. I’d spend days off polishing copper, schlepping malt and doing general cleaning just to be a part of the brewery. Before long the head brewer was injured and I was the likely candidate to help him out in the brewery - and getting paid for it!  Before long I took over a sister brewery in Jacksonville before settling back in at A1A for the next 15 years.

Where does the name Dog Rose come from?

Boy, if I had a dollar! I wish there was a great romantic story involved. My wife, Courtney, and I brainstormed for what seemed like forever.  We had a great name but it was so great, that there were breweries, wineries, theatres, even laundromats with the same name. We wanted something that spoke of Florida but not just FL. The dog rose showed up in a book of Florida flora. It’s a wild rose with a long history. It was believed it could cure the bite of a rabid dog, hence the name. Some say its name refers to the fact that it’s the dog of all the roses. Whichever, we liked its tenacity and it lent itself to a lot of beer names. We’ll be planting some very soon.

How would you describe the style of your process? What types of beer do you brew?

In a word, I guess a bit old school. The beer scene has grown and changed an awful lot since I’ve been involved as I’m sure you can imagine. It seems that as of late, in true American fashion, beers are pushing every boundary imaginable. How big can we get it? What crazy ass fruit can we add? Anybody ever brewed with fruit loops? (the answer is yes by the way). I tend to brew primarily straight forward well engineered beers. With that said, the art side is a major component in the craft brewing scene, so it’s only natural to want to explore new formulas. I certainly enjoy using interesting adjuncts, primarily herbs and spices from time to time.

As for styles, we try to cater to as many people as possible. One the top sellers of our flagships is a classic golden Lager; we keep an IPA, pale, some dark options, maybe a sour here and there.

What can customers expect when they come to Dog Rose?

I think most people are surprised by the size and the styling of the space. We tried to create a mildly sophisticated space that reflected who we are. The bar and tables were  built by a local sculptor, Mikey Shanley, out of ambrosia maple,  everything else from the wall color to the art was based off of that.  No matter how nice the bar may be, it seems the real attraction are the two 16’ shuffleboards, man, people just can’t seem to get off of them. Besides the ascetics, they should expect quality products, from our beer to our snacks, wine and bartenders.

How you describe the craft beer scene in St. Augustine?

Vibrant and growing. I think it’s great that we now have 4 breweries in town! I like that we all have our own neighborhoods yet close enough for guests to try each one easily. All of these guys are doing tremendous work.

What has been the biggest challenge opening your own brewery? Any surprises?

Let’s just say that there’s a reason everyone tells you to plan on spending a lot more money than you plan for.  Other than that, it was relatively painless; lots and lots of work, but that’s the easy part. Having a fairly new building was certainly helpful, no crazy surprises when you opened up a wall or cut the floor out.  With that said, I’m not in any huge hurry to do it again. Cheers!

Ready to sample what's on tap? Stop by Dog Rose Brewing Co. at 77 Bridge St., St. Augustine and check out the latest brews.